Headlight



June 11, 1929. Y J ATHR|LL 1,716,875

1 HEADLIGHT Filed Aug. 9, 1926 Patented June 11, 1929.

JACK CATHRILL, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

HEADLIGHT.

Application filed August 9, 1926.

This invention relates to improvements in headlights and more particularly to headlights of the visor type and for use on automobiles.

Among the objects of my invention is to construct a headlight having a lens and a v1- sor whose surfaces coact to. produce a flood light upon the ground, of relatively great lateral distribution, in the immediate vicinity of the headlightand a beam of relatively great lateral distribution whose projection is forwardly and downwardly upon the ground in advance of the headlight.

My improvements consist in the construction, arrangement and combination of lens and visor elements and surfaces as hereinafter fully, clearly and concisely described, definitely pointed out in my claim and illustrated by the accompanying drawing (1 sheet) in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a headlight constructed in accordance with my invention, showing by broken lines the downward deflection of all rays from the light source. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the headlight showing by broken lines both downward and lateral projection of the rays by combined action of the lens and visor.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of a fragment of the lens.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatical plan view showing the lateral deflection of the light rays as affected by the upper (visored) lens portion.

Fig. 5 is a 'dia'grammatical lan view showin the lateral deflection of t e light rays as a ected by the lower lens portion.

Referring more specifically to the drawing 10 designates the body or barrel, of the headlight; 11 the lamp socket; 12 the incandescent lamp; 13'the parabolic reflector; 14 the lens ring, or bezel; and 15 the clamping ring, all of which are or may be of ordinary construction.

Between the reflector 13 and lens ring 14 I secure the lens A and visor B, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. I

The lens is made of glass; is preferably formed by molding; its body or active area is of concavo-convex shape and when in use its concave face is disposed next the light source. At a point extending diametrically across the lens above its center is a horizontal line 16 which divides the concave face into Serial No. 128,184.

upper and lower, or screened and direct lens port-ions C and D, respectively.

The upper, screened portion O of the lens on its concave face is divided by ribs 17, which are relatively parallel and'extend upwardly from the dividing line 16 of'the lens, each rib asshown, having a substantially triangular section and forming a prism whose base is integral with the lens body and whose sides are parallelograms relatively angularly disposed, as shown in Fig. 4, and whose'ends 18 at the line 16 are bevelled-upwardly and toward the light source so that rays directed to the beveled ends will be refracted upwardly through the lens, as'shown in Fig. 1. The ribs 17 are curved longitudinally to followthe concave curvature of the inner face of the lens, and accordingly rays directed horizontally thereto from the reflector 13 will on passing through the lens be refracted at an upward inclination, as well as laterally.

The lower, direct portion D of the lens on its concave face is divided by ribs 19, 20 and 21,7whose surfaces are curved as shown in Fig. 5 and of which the rib 19, which is on the median line of the lens, extends downwardly from the dividing line 16 (see Fig. 2), the ribs 20, at the right, as viewed from the front incline downwardly and toward the left and the ribs 21, at the left, as viewed from the front, incline downwardly and toward the right.

The visor B is made of opaque material, such as sheet metal and preferably formed as a stamping out of a single piece. The general form of the visor is that of a quadrant of a hollow sphere, but by preference the base 22 occupies a plane below the plane of the light source (lamp 12).

The inner surface 23, by silvering or otherwise, is made highly reflective and at all points the reflective surface bears such angle with respect to the angle of the projected rays as to distribute the rays at relatively wide angles at both sides of the head.- light and all such rays in a downward trend.

'In the arrangement of the base 22 of the visor in a plane below the plane of the light source the objectional glare is prevented. By reason of the angle of the lens portion D with respect to the rays from the source the rays emanating from said portion D of the lens are all deflected downwardly, as indicated at E in Fig. 1, and these same rays'are deflected laterally by the curvature of the ribs 20 and 21 as indicated at F in Fig. 5.

Obviously there will be straight ahead rays,

of great intensity and covering a relatively wide field, for distance illumination? As shown in Fig. 1 the angle of the lens portion C afforded by its concave curvature with respect to the light source deflects all rays forwardly and upwardly,"as lndicated' at and as indicated at H in Fig. at all such upwardly deflected rays' alre also deflected laterally by the prismatic ribs 17.; All the upwardly and laterally deflected rays emanating from the curved prismatic ribs are directed against the deflective surface of the "isor and are thereby reflected downwardly The upper portion of the lens creates a more diffuse light than the lower portion thereof because the prismatlc' ribs 17 v tliroughout the upper portion of the lens are adapted to afford clearer illumination, are directed farther ahead on the roadway by reason of passing. below the lower edge of the visor.

A liieadlight; comprising a source of light, a concave lens having upper and lower sectionsde fined by a line, said upper'sectio'n provided throughout with longitudinally curved prismatic ribs extending upwardly from said line operable to deflect rays upwardly and laterally, said 'lo'wer section provided with ribs'having concavesurface's and of greater width than said" prismatic ribs, said ribs extending downwardly from said'line and be i'ng'longitudinally curvedoperable to deflect rays downwardly and laterally and a visor in the form of aquad'rant ofa hollow sphere, positioned in front of the upper section of said lens toefi'ect' a downwardfand lateral deflection of all the light passing through said prismatic ribs said visor permitting an unobstructed forwardpassage for the rays of light passing throughsaidl broader concave ribs. 1." i i I In testimony whereof, I have aiiixed my signature. 7 c o V QFACIQGATHRILL. 

